Serenity's Hiccup
by Storm O
Summary: Now Complete! Missing scenes involving Simon and Kaylee in the episode, Out of Gas.
1. Goodbyes

Disclaimers: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all characters. I make no profit, but feedback is a wonderful form of payment.

**Goodbyes **

After Mal made his announcement, stating clearly that he was the only one staying behind with _Serenity_, Simon glanced over at Kaylee. She had attempted to argue with Mal, to no avail. She looked so sad, and he knew she not only blamed herself for their predicament but also for Zoë's condition, even though no one blamed her. He had observed Wash, taking a moment before Mal gave his final orders to hug the mechanic and whisper reassurances in her ear.

Once they were dismissed, the doctor leaned over to River and said, "Please go back to your room. I'll be there soon. You should grab a few things that you wish to take with you. I have something I really need to do before we leave." His eyes darted away briefly to watch Kaylee leave to go pack a few of her things.

"Don't be a dolt," River sighed, a welcomed smirk on her lips. She could have said many things but teasing her brother about his conflicted feelings always amused her and tickled her fancy.

"Don't worry about me, _mei mei_," Simon answered and ran down the hall towards Kaylee's bunk. He caught sight of her just as she was opening her door and called out to her, quickly closing the distance between them. "Kaylee! Kaylee, wait a minute!"

The mechanic looked back at Simon and managed to offer him a smile, but it could not hide the sorrow and remorse in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Simon."

"Sorry? For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

"For _Serenity's_ hiccup. For hurting Zoë. For ruining your…"

Simon placed a finger across her lips to silence her unnecessary apology. "Don't say it."

"But…but," she stammered, her lips quivering beneath his finger, "you didn't getta try none of your birthday cake."

"It looked delicious, and you sure surprised me. You know that as soon as all nine of us reconvene, I'm going to insist that you bake me another birthday cake."

"I will," she promised before turning gloomy again. "Is she gonna be…" She swallowed hard and looked into Simon's eyes. She couldn't ask the question, but she needed an answer.

"Zoë is stabilized. I believe she will make a full recovery, and I suspect that as soon as she awakens and learns of the Captain's harebrained plan, she'll order us all to return and knock some sense into him. If that is even possible." His spirits fell when Kaylee diverted her eyes and turned away from him.

"Just take care o' her an' yourself. An' River an' Wash. The black can be very unforgivin'."

Simon reached out instinctively and tugged her arm gently, turning her back to face him. "I will. You do the same. You need to be there for Inara and Book, and someone needs to keep Jayne under control."

Kaylee looked into his gaze. If only for that moment, the sincerity in his voice made her forget all of her guilt for the ship's malfunction and Zoë's injury. She took a step closer, closing the gap between them. "Since your birthday cake got toasted, you still deserve a gift."

"No, I don't," Simon tried to interrupt as he sucked in his breath. His heart started to pound in his chest, and he suddenly started to feel warm. Very warm.

"Yes, you do," she persisted. "But, I don't have nothin' else." Leaning in, she kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear, "Happy Birthday, Simon." Unable to stop herself, since she had him this close and virtually rendered immobile, she softly brushed her moist lips across his before she pulled her arm from his lax grasp and descended the steps to her bunk. Amidst all the turmoil she felt inside, she found a calming peace. If she never saw the doctor again, at least she was able to kiss him and feel him against her body.

Simon stood in the hall for what seemed like hours, dazed by her kiss. He dragged his finger across his freshly kissed lips. Her kiss had charged him, and he desperately wanted to follow her; however, he knew that what he desired was unattainable. At least right now.

He turned hesitantly away from the empty hole Kaylee disappeared into seconds ago. He had to grab some medical supplies, pack a few of his personal effects, see to River, and move Zoë. He knew one thing. If and when he ever saw Kaylee again, he would be sure to let his heart lead him.


	2. News

Disclaimers: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all characters. I make no profit, but feedback is a wonderful form of payment.

Author's Notes: Thank you for the previous reviews. Hopefully, you enjoy this chapter. Just a few more missing scenes from "Out of Gas".

**News**

"Would you like to talk about it?" Inara softly asked, reaching over and squeezing her friend's shoulder. Ever since Kaylee and Book had boarded the shuttle, she had noticed that Kaylee had sat silently beside her, staring forlornly into the black. She realized that Kaylee would be far from her normal, bubbly self since _Serenity_ had broken down, but something else was bothering the mechanic.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jayne rifling through some of her personal belongings and muttering about a smell. Had she not been concerned about Kaylee, she would have lectured the mercenary about manners and privacy. At least Book was not making a nuisance out of himself, not that she expected him to; however, she imagined he was quite uncomfortable, sitting amongst places where she had entertained clients countless times. The preacher's eyes never left the pages of his Bible as he read page after page of scriptures.

Kaylee shifted her eyes from the black nothingness and looked at Inara. "No, 'Nara. I was just thinkin'. I should be stayin' with her not the Cap'n. I did this. I shoulda known. Maybe I gave up too quickly. Maybe I coulda fixed her."

"Kaylee, stop blaming yourself," Inara said firmly. She cupped a smooth, silky hand under Kaylee's chin and tilted the disheartened mechanic's head up so that their eyes met. "Do not ever think that you could have fixed _Serenity_ in her current condition. Some things cannot be fixed. You said so yourself. If there was a way to repair that catalyzer, you would have been able to do it hours ago." The Companion sighed and stroked Kaylee's cheek with her thumb. In a calm voice, reserved for talking to special clients or treasured friends, she asked, "Now, do you want to tell me what is really bothering you?"

"Zoë…" Kaylee started but was abruptly cutoff by Inara's unsympathetic glare. "I…uh…just wanted…" she stammered but was thankfully interrupted when the communicator crackled to life.

"Hold that thought." Inara grabbed the radio, straining to hear the garbled transmission, before she smiled. "We're heading back to the ship," she relayed the message to the other three crewmembers. She winked at Kaylee and added, "Zoë's orders."

Kaylee's heart leapt into her throat as she felt all sorts of joy. "Does that mean the Cap'n fixed _Serenity_?"

"I don't know yet. All I know is that Zoë ordered us to return."

For the first time since the catalyzer broke and caused the massive explosion, Kaylee released a breath she had been holding. Zoë was going to be okay, Mal had assumedly fixed _Serenity_, and Simon…she'd get to see him again.

Inara focused on returning to the firefly. Whatever had been bothering Kaylee was now in the past. She thought about continuing their conversation, but the sparkle in the mechanic's eye told her to just let bygones be bygones.

Meanwhile, in the other shuttle, Wash was just as happy as any hotshot pilot, flying high in the sky, could be. He sat behind the controls, running the throttle at full-burn. He continued to look over at Zoë every few seconds, smiling at his autumn flower.

Simon finished checking Zoë's vitals after she had sent the message to call Inara's shuttle back to _Serenity_. Satisfied that she was fine, he took a seat and leaned back heavily, relaxing and thinking about all that had happened within the last day, especially the part when Kaylee kissed him. He replayed that scene over and over.

River sat beside her brother, occasionally serenading him with several varied renditions of "Happy Birthday".

"River, my birthday is over now. It was yesterday," Simon informed. The calendar had changed days as each shuttle spent the last several hours in the sky, searching for help.

"I still didn't get you anything."

"It's okay, _mei mei_," Simon said and almost continued by telling her, Wash, and Zoë that he had received the best birthday gift from Kaylee; but instead, he clamped his mouth shut.

River reached over and massaged her brother's cheeks. "You need to relax these muscles. Don't clench your jaw shut. Part your lips. Embrace _life_."

Hearing River's words, Wash and Zoë exchanged a confused glance as Simon quickly grabbed for River's hands. "River, stop it!" he hissed. A red hue was growing on his cheeks.

"My brother, the boob," she announced before gracefully sliding out of her seat and walking over to Zoë.

For once, Simon hoped that Wash and Zoë would just think that River was babbling nonsense. He didn't know if he liked his sister being able to read minds, especially his. Especially now.

"Prepare for docking," Wash notified as he spied the firefly and then gasped.

"What, Honey?" Zoë asked, raising herself into a sitting position.

"She's alive," Wash replied excitedly. "She's alive!"

Simon and Zoë exchanged a look of shock, but River sat quietly on the floor beside Zoë. "Hurt. Pain. We need to help him fast. He's dying."


	3. Repairs

Disclaimers: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all characters. I make no profit, but feedback is a wonderful form of payment.

Author's Notes: Missing scenes from "Out of Gas". A little longer than the others, but I tied up loose ends so chapter 4 will be mostly Simon/Kaylee. This picks up directly after chapter two.

Special mention: Thank you to Guildsister for her recommendation on chapter two. Blame Frankenstein's creator for that slip of the tongue, er keyboard. :)  
Also, thank you to everyone who has read my story, especially if you took the time to leave me a review. It is much appreciated. I really am trying to keep everyone in character and make it seem real, plus allowing everyone to have a little playtime. I know, I know, Mal hasn't had any play, and I'm so sorry for that. I luv my captain, but it just so happened that he was hurt in this episode. I'll have to make up for it in some future fic.

**Repairs**

Zoë had managed to gather enough strength to lead them from the shuttle with her weapon raised and her keen senses alert. She walked stealthily, anticipating an ambush, but River suddenly bolted ahead of them.

Simon and Zoë yelled after her. "River!"

"Empty but us. Need to help him. Now!" River reported as she continued to run in her bare feet towards the bridge.

Wash put a supportive arm around his wife as Simon ran after River, carrying his medical bag with him. He found Mal, lying unconscious, on the floor of the bridge, and River perched in Wash's seat. He quickly went to work, taking Mal's vitals and checking for wounds.

"What happened? Is Mal going to be okay?" Wash asked as he and Zoë made it to the bridge.

"Belly wound. He's lost a lot of blood and is barely breathing," Simon answered truthfully, his mind flashing back to when he first boarded _Serenity_ and Kaylee suffered a gunshot wound to her stomach. He had been an ass that day but quickly made the captain and crew understand that his sister's safety was all that mattered to him. Now, only mere months later, every single person on _Serenity_ mattered to him. Even Jayne. "Wash, help me move him to the infirmary."

The two men carried Mal to the infirmary, and River slipped a slender hand into Zoë's to help her back down the steps. "He'll be okay now. Simon will make him all better."

Zoë was surprised at the strength radiating from the seemingly fragile girl beside her. They made their way slowly and cautiously down the steps and towards the infirmary.

- - -

Kaylee's face was beaming as the mechanic could see the glow coming from _Serenity's_ engines. "She's okay. She's gonna be okay."

Inara smiled at her friend and docked the shuttle. "The others are already here."

Jayne unlatched the door. "Me first. I wanna make sure this ain't no gorram trap. Not that Zoë would lead us into a trap but jus' gotta check it out."

"It ain't no trap," Kaylee argued, but Book placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let the man take a look first," the preacher whispered.

When Jayne opened the door, he ended up staring face to face with River. "Gorramit! What the hell are ya doin' here?"

"She lives. He's going to pull through," River rambled quickly.

Kaylee's bright smile returned as she brushed by the stunned mercenary. "Where is everyone?" she asked, her smile fading since she had expected to see the others on the catwalk.

"Infirmary," River answered flatly. "He was hurt, but he will be better."

"Mal!" Inara exclaimed as she finally realized whom River was talking about. She pushed by Jayne and Kaylee, making a beeline for the infirmary. Kaylee was right behind the companion.

"Gorramit! Quit knockin' me outta the way," Jayne grumbled.

"Go on. Take your leave," Book offered, even though he desperately wanted to be off the shuttle.

"Jus' go ahead," Jayne muttered.

Book exited and followed the women. River skipped ahead of him while Jayne brought up the rear.

By the time Kaylee and Inara made it to the infirmary, Simon had just started to hook Wash and Mal up for the blood transfusion. The doctor had blood on his apron, and Inara knew that he had operated on Mal just moments ago. A tiny gasp escaped from Kaylee's mouth.

Zoë sat beside her husband but saw movement outside of the infirmary. She slowly got up and met the rest of the crew at the door just as River, Book, and Jayne came into sight and joined Kaylee and Inara. "Glad to see you made it back."

"Wha's goin' on?" Kaylee asked, transfixed by what was going on inside the tiny infirmary. She remembered watching Zoë be fixed up by Simon hours ago, and now, she was watching yet another member of her "family" be fixed up. She didn't understand why Wash was hooked up, but somehow, she felt this was all her fault.

"Captain's been shot. He lost a lot of blood, and Simon is rigging up a blood transfusion between the two." Zoë turned and pointed between Mal and Wash.

As if on cue, Wash gave the rest of the crew a friendly wave and called out cheerfully, "I'm feeling fine."

Simon glanced up from his work and saw the sea of concerned faces. He'd been concentrating on saving Mal's life that he hadn't even heard or noticed the others approach. His eyes scanned over each crewmember and finally settled on Kaylee before he shifted his attention back to his patients and his current task. "Please. Try to keep quiet, Wash."

"How did he get shot?" Inara asked, her voice wavering ever so slightly. She felt Kaylee's hand slide into hers, and the companion squeezed it as she waited for an answer. The ship was empty of strangers, and it was running, which meant it was fixed. _How could Mal get shot on an empty ship_? She feared that Mal may have become desperate, but that wasn't the Mal she knew. That wasn't her Mal, the one she…

Her thoughts were interrupted as River fragmentally explained, "Bad men. Picked up signal. Had the part. Wanted to steal the ship." River looked directly at Mal as she spoke. "Then bang."

"Oh my," Inara mumbled but was relieved that Mal didn't do what her mind was conjuring up as a worst case scenario.

"I best go check on 'er," Kaylee said, beginning to back away from the infirmary window.

"Not alone, you ain't," Jayne grumbled. "That's all we need is a booby-trapped engine room."

"Jayne!" Zoë snapped agitatedly.

"Do you think that they would tamper with replacement parts?" Book asked.

"Hell ya. Ne'er trust the enemy. Hell, ne'er trust anyone. That's my motto," Jayne growled, ignoring Zoë's glare.

"Stop it! You're scaring, Kaylee," Inara hissed.

"No. Not scared. Jayne's right. We need to be aware of a trap." She hated to think that _Serenity_ would betray them twice in one day.

"I reckon you oughtta go with her," Zoë told Jayne. She didn't like the idea of what the mercenary suggested, but her years of battle told her that Jayne's notion was plausible.

"I'll go, too," Book offered and then quickly slipped into the infirmary to say a prayer for Mal and Wash.

Simon had successfully started the blood transfusion process. As he stripped off his gloves, he overheard the end of the recent conversation. "Wait a minute. A trap? Did I hear you mention a trap?" he asked, stepping out of the infirmary into the common area.

River piped up, "Crossed wires and we all go BOOM!"

Kaylee jumped and her face paled. She felt the weight of the world settling on her shoulders once again.

"Hush, gorramit. Ain't no kaboomin' goin' on 'round here less I'm causin' it." Jayne stared at River. "Crazy girl," he muttered.

Simon touched Kaylee's arm. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly since everyone was focused on River and Jayne.

"Yeah. I'll feel better after I check on my girl and know that she ain't no deathtrap for us." She turned her ashen face to look at Simon. "Is the Cap'n gonna be okay?"

"I believe so." Simon leaned in a little closer, whispering in her ear. "Just be careful, Kaylee. I don't want to add you to the list of my patients today."

A renewed confidence soared through Kaylee as she felt Simon's warm breath against her skin. She smiled and patted his arm. "Don't worry 'bout me, Doc," she murmured. She raised a hand and touched a pipe above her. "She's purrin' nicely. I don't think they sabotaged 'er, but I'll find out soon enough."

Simon raised an eyebrow at Kaylee and allowed himself to return her smile. Kaylee's words rang true. It would be stupid for anyone to damage a ship they meant to steal. He had to believe that, but danger sometimes came in threes. First Zoë. Then Mal. He couldn't help but ask himself, _Who's next_?

Kaylee's hand slipped from his arm to his hand. Her fingers slid between his for a moment, and then she was gone. All he could do was watch her and Jayne walk away from him towards whatever fate lay inside the engine room or on the way.

"Can I go in?" Inara softly asked Simon after Book exited and followed Kaylee and Jayne. She saw the way he longingly watched the others walk away, noting his gaze was on her friend. Some of Kaylee's actions, or lack thereof, on her shuttle earlier made sense now.

"Certainly," Simon remarked, clearing his mind and refocusing on his job. He caught the way Inara was studying him and quickly turned away from her.

Zoë watched the trio disappear until she felt River's tiny hand in hers. She looked down into the child's peaceful face and took that as a sign that everything was going to be okay. She gave the hallway one final look before she returned to her husband's side.

Inara stood by Mal's head, caressing his hair and looking over the stitched and bandaged stomach wound. She berated herself silently, wishing that she had been more insistent that he had come with them. His words haunted her: _Everybody dies alone._

Simon cleaned the equipment he had used to extract the bullet. His face was serious, bracing himself for a bang or jolt that would tell them that there was definitely a trap planted onboard the firefly.

The lights flickered once, and everyone held their breath. Moments later, River walked by her brother, almost floating, and nudged him lightly before she sat down on the counter in a corner. "She's smart."

Simon looked at his sister quizzically but didn't ask what she meant. She seemed calm and unconcerned, which eased some of his fears.

- - -

Book was the first to return. He had a few dirt streaks on his face and looked a little disheveled. "There's much to clean up, but nothing seriously damaged," he informed.

"Anything amiss?" Zoë asked.

"Nothing major," Book answered.

"Why did the lights flicker?" Simon asked.

"Done knocked the preacher on his bee-hind," Jayne smirked, walking into the room, looking a might dirtier than before.

The preacher ignored Jayne and brushed off the concerned glance that Simon gave him. "Just a tiny jolt. I'm fine. Just touched the wrong wires together."

"And Kaylee?" Inara asked before Simon could. She had expected to see their mechanic walk in behind Jayne, but a glance down the hall showed it was empty of a bubbly mechanic.

"She's talkin' to that engine o' hers jus' like it were a real person. If'n I didn't know any better, I'd say she's as a crazy as her." He cocked his thumb in River's direction.

River stared at him. "I may be crazy, but Kaylee's not. She's saner than you'll ever be." She hopped down and left the room.

"Ain't ever said I was sane, Crazy," Jayne hollered, stalking out of the infirmary after the little albatross. "Hey! I'm talkin' ta ya."

"I think maybe he got shocked," Wash joked lightheartedly.

"A little electrical jolt wouldn't have hurt him any," Book agreed. "It's good for the soul."

The others chuckled, but Simon kept one eye on the door. River and Jayne together usually spelled some form of disaster, with Jayne ending up on his operating table.

* * *

Ending Author Notes: I couldn't resist adding hints of River/Jayne and Mal/Inara to the mix. More Simon/Kaylee will be back in the final chapter. Thanks for reading. 


	4. Cupcakes

Disclaimers: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all characters. I make no profit, but feedback is a wonderful form of payment.

Author's Notes: This wraps up my missing and added scenes from "Out of Gas". I hope you enjoyed the ride. Thanks for the encouragement and reviews, comments, and feedback.

**Cupcakes**

When Simon entered his room, he stripped off his shirt and collapsed facedown on his bed. It had been an exhausting twenty-four hours, and he knew he desperately needed some sleep. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling, his mind mulling over the injuries of Zoë and Mal, his birthday, the explosion, and especially Kaylee and that kiss.

Kaylee paused outside of the infirmary door, staring at Mal's sleeping form. The day had been equally long for her since she had spent the past several hours re-wiring _Serenity_. After she had the engine stabilized, she had begun working on her next "project". The mechanic smiled outside of the small medical room before she turned and crossed the common area, entering the short hall to the passenger dorm rooms.

Sleep wouldn't come to Simon since his mind kept conjuring up Kaylee's face. He had to check on her to make sure she was okay. The last time that he had seen her was when she popped in to tell the captain that he had fixed the ship and had done a good job. After everyone left the room, he overheard Book inquire about _Serenity's_ condition to which Kaylee had replied that she had a lot of work to do but no need to worry.

The doctor grabbed a sweatshirt and slid open his door. He wasn't expecting to see Kaylee standing there nor feel her loosely balled fist on his bare chest. Her raised hand had landed on his flesh instead of the door's surface when she had attempted to knock.

Startled, Kaylee let out a barely audible squeak and almost dropped the surprise behind her back. "Simon!" she gasped.

Simon jumped slightly but quickly clutched a hand over hers since it rested, still in its balled state, against his chest. "Kaylee, are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh yes. Shiny," she stammered, staring at his hand protectively covering hers. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked.

"Not in the least. You just surprised me. _Pleasantly_ surprised me," he emphasized, smiling warmly at her. "I was actually just coming to check on you."

"Me? Why for?" Kaylee asked.

"Just to make sure you and _Serenity_ were playing nice," he tried to tease. He watched her eyes shimmer in the dim lighting. "And, because I was concerned about you."

"You were?"

Simon simply nodded. "I know you have been shouldering quite a bit of guilt lately, and well, I just…" He paused, noticing her other arm was behind her back. Growing worried that she had injured herself, he asked, "Kaylee, are you sure you are okay? Did you hurt yourself?" Still holding her hand against his chest, he tossed his shirt aside and moved his free arm in an attempt to reach for her kinked arm.

Pulling her hand out from underneath his warm grasp, Kaylee took a quick step back so she could properly present him with her surprise. "Happy Birthday, Simon. Even if it is a few hours late," she proclaimed, proudly holding the saucer and glowing cake in front of her.

Simon's disquiet was immediately replaced by a surprised smile. "Thank you, but you didn't need to bake this for me tonight. It could have waited until…" He promptly stopped, realizing he was lecturing her, and he desperately didn't want to fall into that pitfall like he notoriously did. "But, I'm very flattered that you took the time to do this for me," he quickly covered, a rosy hue creeping into his ears.

Kaylee could feel her own blush color her cheeks. "I wanted to. 'Sides, I couldn't sleep. I was jus' so happy to have my girl runnin'. Cap is gonna be fine. Zoë is gonna be fine. We're all back t'gether. Jus' like it should be." She stepped further into his room and handed him the tiny cake. "'Twas your birthday. You worked hard today, and you deserved this."

Simon was mesmerized by her perky attitude and thoughtfulness. All hints of sorrow and blame that she had carried earlier were gone. His hands moved to the tiny cake in her hand. His fingers brushed across hers, and he held them plus his cake for a moment. "I haven't had a cupcake in years," he divulged as he lightly blew the candle out and lifted the saucer out of her hands.

"Cupcake? Is that wha' you call 'em? Shiny." Her smile was brighter than the lone candle had been before he extinguished it. "'Nara an' I found the pan a ways back, an' I thought it was jus' too pretty to pass up."

Simon couldn't help but smile. Only Kaylee would be excited about a cupcake pan. He couldn't take his eyes off her and only saw her lips move when she asked, "Ain't ya gonna try it?"

He quickly tried to backpedal, but his foot slipped into his mouth when he asked, "Pardon?"

"The cake! Cupcake. Remember? Thing you're holdin' in your paw. Eat it. Food," she hastily replied, a bit agitated but also disappointed.

_Think fast_, he told himself, aware that their "moment" was ebbing away because of his foolishness…again. "Absolutely. I was just admiring the…the aroma and… Did you make me your special chocolate frosting?" His heart hammered in his ears as he awaited her response. He remembered how proud she was of the frosting the first time. He prayed that he said the right thing, but out of nowhere, a phrase echoed in his head. _You're a dead man_. He couldn't be sure if he was thinking that thought himself or if River was warning him.

Kaylee watched him fretfully break off a morsel and eat it. She knew he was worried that he had said something wrong. It happened quite frequently, but it was different this time. The look on his face as he tasted the cake was more than enough for her to beam happily, allowing her discontent to disappear. "I think I was able to get the frosting even more chocolate-y than before."

Simon ate a bigger bite and licked a speck of chocolate frosting from his lip. "I would say that you succeeded. This is the best frosting I've ever had." He took the remaining quarter of the cupcake and broke it in two. "Would you be so kind and help honor my birthday by sharing this last tasty morsel with me?" He held a bite in-between his fingers and moved it towards her mouth.

Kaylee smiled and stepped closer, allowing Simon to feed her the piece of cake. He wiped away a crumb from her upper lip with his thumb and finished his portion. "Thank you, Kaylee. It was delicious."

"You're welcome," Kaylee softly said. Her bright eyes watched him place the saucer on top of his dresser and then turn back to face her. When he reached out and clasped her wrist, she moved forward and couldn't resist trailing her fingers up his bare chest. She thought she felt him inhale sharply and immediately locked eyes with him.

Her touch was all he needed to give into what his mind was clamoring for him to do. He tilted his head and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I just wanted to say thank you. Again."

When Simon tried to pull back, he felt Kaylee's arms encircle his waist. His lips found hers again. This second kiss, actually third, was deeper. Not a light brush across the lips. Not a gentle kiss on the lips. This one was charged with electricity that coursed through them as their lips willingly parted and their tongues meshed and danced with each other. He pulled her closer to him as the kiss continued.

When they finally broke for air, Kaylee licked her lips and ran her fingers across his cheek. She had wanted that kiss for so long. It was better than she had ever imagined since it was now real and not a dream.

Simon peered into her face. He didn't want to let her go, but he would never rush things. Finding the need to say something, he whispered, "That was the best birthday gift ever."

"Better than the cake?" Kaylee queried.

Unsure of the correct answer, he extended one hand and pulled out the stick, holding her hair up in its bun. As the locks fell around her face, framing it perfectly, he leaned closer and kissed her again, meeting no resistance from the mechanic in his arms.

"I say that's a yes," she giggled softly after they breathlessly parted.

He couldn't have agreed more as he pulled her closer to him, hugging her. He felt Kaylee run her fingers up his back and then push back. She lightly kissed him and then slipped out of his embrace, slowly backing towards the door. He felt a chill as the warmth from her body left him. "Wait!" he unceremoniously blurted out as he slipped on his shirt. "Maybe I could walk you to your door."

"The perfect gentleman," she unabashedly cooed.

Simon flushed slightly as her words reminded him that he always tended to be so proper, especially around her. He couldn't help it. He was brought up that way, and he intended to treat Kaylee with the respect she deserved. He kissed her lips before offering her his arm. "Milady?"

Kaylee felt like a princess, even though, instead of a big, fluffy dress like back on Persephone, she was in a pink floral shirt and her signature coveralls, tied at the waist. She slipped her hand around his forearm and allowed him to lead her through the empty, quiet halls of _Serenity_.

When Simon stopped outside her door, Kaylee turned to face him. His lips didn't hesitate to cover hers as he pressed her against the hull. He whispered softly in her ear, "Good night, Kaywinnit Lee Frye. Sleep tight."

Kaylee's heart soared as he murmured her full name. Trying to be as proper as she could, she replied, "I bid you a good night as well, Dr. Simon Tam."

Impressed, Simon leaned over and kissed her again. He watched her descend into her bunk before he started back to his empty room. He could have asked her to stay in his room, or he could have followed her into hers; but that was not his style back on Osiris, and it wasn't going to be his style in the black. The right time would come.

Life just kept getting better and better for Simon Tam since he found _Serenity _and her mechanic.

- End


End file.
